Parents No Injuries?

[RosellaJam]

My DD is only young at the moment but as her hours at the gym increase we have extended family worried that she will put too much stress on her body and end up with major injuries. I'm wondering if it's pretty much a guarantee that gymnasts', particularly one's at upper levels/elite, will have some sort of major injury, possibly requiring surgery. Reading on here, it seems like a lot of kids do end up with injuries and surgery, but I'm not sure if that's an accurate repesentation or more that people are more likely to post about it if their child does get injured.

I've had to stop talking to them about her gymnastics as they are so negative about it and it's really getting me down, especially when I am so proud of how hard she is working to achieve her goals.

 

[MILgymFAM]

We're only three years in, but they were high-hours years, on a growing teenage body, and my ODD hasn't so much as twisted an ankle.

 

[Deleted member 18037]

My daughter is a L6. She wrecked her thumb recently. At recess at school.

Stuff happens.

And she has had a couple injuries at gym. One was an ankle roll. She was like Mom just like you did. Except I rolled mine walking across the grass.

Stuff happens.

 

[HoldThePhone]

I can't answer you on injuries as every child is different, amd things happen. I donto think that the risk of injury is necessarily any higher than in another high level sport, though.

I get the grandparent thing. My DD's grandparents love to brag on her but don't like that it means she's in the gym so much. We just don't talk about it with them, it sucks, but it is what it is at this point. I figure they'll get over it and get on board or they'll push her away, and I have no problem calling them out on it!

 

[MabelSt]

My daughter hasn't been injured at gym yet about two years in lvl 3

 

[NY Dad]

I do think that some people come to CB or specifically post when their gymmie gets injured. So looking at the posts about injuries on CB would not be a good representation of the percentage of gymnasts they get injured.

My DD did get injured at the gym she is only level two (4 hours/week). I agree with the other posters it happens but they can happen anywhere or with any other activity.

Based on what I've read here it does sound like some gyms have a better track record the others but any gym can have a fluke accident

 

[ascarter1]

My DD is only young at the moment but as her hours at the gym increase we have extended family worried that she will put too much stress on her body and end up with major injuries. I'm wondering if it's pretty much a guarantee that gymnasts', particularly one's at upper levels/elite, will have some sort of major injury, possibly requiring surgery. Reading on here, it seems like a lot of kids do end up with injuries and surgery, but I'm not sure if that's an accurate repesentation or more that people are more likely to post about it if their child does get injured.

I've had to stop talking to them about her gymnastics as they are so negative about it and it's really getting me down, especially when I am so proud of how hard she is working to achieve her goals.

Dd is a level 8, and I can say that the likelihood of an injury is high! Since entering optional levels we have had 1 hip injury (3 weeks rest), one back injury (modified practice), 2 rolled ankles (modified practice) shin splints (reduced numbers), wrist injury (3 weeks rest), 3 broken toes (2 just required buddy taping, one required 6 weeks in a boot-just starting to come out of the boot). My dd was/is in the midst of a huge growth spurt, nearly 8 inches in 2 years, so that plays a huge role in the frequency of injuries. Unfortunately, injuries are part of "the game" (for the majority of gymnasts). It's not for the faint of heart! Best wishes!!

 

[Flyaway]

All the girls at dd's gym with injuries hurt themselves at home or school.

 

[gymdog]

Elite, probably. Yeah. Level 9/10 maybe not. I personally never had surgery for an injury. But I'd also note that injuries requiring surgery aren't necessarily the end of the world or something. I guess you get desensitized to it but there are lots of gymnasts out there competing who have had a surgery. That could mean anything really. Most of them go on to be just fine in life. It's other stuff that scares me, but I guess those are the same risks you take with everything in life and I try not to let it consume me.

 

[RosellaJam]

It's not even something we're really worried about. We take the view that stuff happens and you can't wrap your kids in cotton wool. But when I was trying to get to sleep last night I just started thinking "what if she's right?". But then having said that, my DS hurt his elbow quite badly this week playing at school and a friends daughter broke her arm rollerskating so I know it can happen anywhere.

I really shouldn't let this family member get into my head like that. There's a whole big long backstory and we don't usually discuss anything health related with them as they have a tendency to over dramatise every little thing. I know too that surgery isn't the end of the world as DH had shoulder surgery a few years ago and now his shoulder is better than ever.

 

[RosellaJam]

It's not even something we're really worried about. We take the view that stuff happens and you can't wrap your kids in cotton wool. But when I was trying to get to sleep last night I just started thinking "what if she's right?". But then having said that, my DS hurt his elbow quite badly this week playing at school and a friends daughter broke her arm rollerskating so I know it can happen anywhere.

I really shouldn't let this family member get into my head like that. There's a whole big long backstory and we don't usually discuss anything health related with them as they have a tendency to over dramatise every little thing. I know too that surgery isn't the end of the world as DH had shoulder surgery a few years ago and now his shoulder is better than ever.

 

[SurpriseGymMom]

I would say that along the way, chances are really high for some sort of injury. Now, that can vary from sprained ankles to blown ACLs to worse...! I don't know of any gymnast, on our team or in my friend circle, who has never had any sort of "practice modifying" injury, although the injury has not necessarily happend at gym. However, there has only been one surgery requiring injury. DD is a L7, has been competing for 4yrs and I count all the team girls during those 4yrs in my response, from L3-10.
I would say at LEAST 50%, if not more, of the minor injuries have happened outside gym.

 

[RosellaJam]

Oops sorry, I didn't mean to post twice

 

[Aussie_coach]

No way! Bumps, bruises and rips will happen of course but many kids never have any major injuries occur in their entire gymnastics career even with high hours.

The majority of gymnasts in our gym have never had anything more severe than a sprain or strain. Only a very, very small percentage have ever had an injury bad enough to require surgery.

 

[l.c.o]

I think that chances are fair that a high level gymnast may at some point have a fairly serious injury or two... but that doesn't mean they will.

My DD's main injuries have all been 'overuse' related so far (knock wood). That seems to be hit or miss depending on the kid. Some kids get them a lot, some kids never do. But my DD has gotten pretty beat up on beam with minor injuries a few times - swollen appendages, bruises, beam burn. For her, that's been the worst as it often also hurts her some mentally.

My DS luckily has been healthy so far.

But as others have noted, a lot of kids in a lot of sports will have injuries over time, too. I needed surgery on my shoulder for torn cartilage at the age of 16 after injuring it at a summer volleyball camp. I also played softball, and have had countless sprains over the years.

 

[e'smum]

My daughter is a L6. She wrecked her thumb recently. At recess at school.

Stuff happens.

And she has had a couple injuries at gym. One was an ankle roll. She was like Mom just like you did. Except I rolled mine walking across the grass.

Stuff happens.

my dd rolled her ankle, resulting in a rather bad sprain, WALKING down the rod floor. she had just come out of a front tuck, which she landed, then walked away. can't even blame it on the skill.

 

[e'smum]

my dd - just turned 10, level 6, this is her 3rd real year competing (i don't count the first year where she was mostly non-compete). she rolled an ankle like i mentioned in my above post, last year in level 4. this year she did something to her knee. it was landing a BT. i think she'd hurt it's feelings in open gym a couple of weeks earlier and this just made it worse. it swelled up and while she didn't have to scratch any events/meets (it was a great time for a minor injury), she did take it easy in the gym and we taped it up for a good 2-3 months.

they will get hurt. somehow. it's a gym. most of them aren't serious though. and always get them checked out if you are on the fence. it's a sport. you can't play sports without threat of injury in some form or other.

just walk away from that talk if it annoys you.

 

[GymDad9.9]

my dd rolled her ankle, resulting in a rather bad sprain, WALKING down the rod floor. she had just come out of a front tuck, which she landed, then walked away. can't even blame it on the skill.

My daughter smashed her knee on the front step of our house when she tripped...she's a clutz, but not in the gym.